- By Dan Veaner
- News
Print 
Since the Lansing Post Office was hit by a SUV in November box holders and retail customers have had to get their mail at the Warren Road Post Office. One month later the Lansing branch is nearly ready to reopen. Ithaca Postmaster William Hyrnko says that once he gets the OK from a Postal Service inspector the office will reopen quickly. "It will probably take a day or so," he says. "We're sending out our maintenance people to do the floors. We'll move in the mail, the products, and the employee."Hrynko says he has had some difficulty reaching the person who will schedule the inspection, but hopes the branch can open some time next week. According to Lansing Plaza owner Dr. Elliot Rubinstein the storefront is expected to be ready to move into today (Friday).
Glass was replaced earlier this week
Rubenstein says the accident caused more than $40,000 of damage, but there was no structural damage to the building. He noted that some cosmetic repairs may have to wait until Spring, but most repairs will be finished by the end of this week.
"Except for the front window, all the walls that separate the spaces were not damaged, so the structural integrity was never in danger," Rubenstein says. "The post was structural, but she really hit the decorative part. She never hit the post. She just took away the bricks that were covering the post."
The storefront was hit by an elderly woman driving a Ford SUV on November 20th. After knocking the bricks off a pillar on the front walkway, she crashed through the plate glass front wall, narrowly missing two customers standing in line for service at the desk. With shattered glass strewn all around the store, the car stopped about a yard from the nearest customer. Nobody was injured in the accident.
Hyrnko says Lansing customers have been generally happy with the way the Postal Service has handled the crisis. "One lady said it was a longer distance to come here," he says. "For the most part they were happy that their mail was ready on time."
The Postal Service has no plans to offer some kind of consideration to box customers who have been inconvenienced for a month. But Hyrnko says Lansing customers were lucky that there is another post office nearby that could handle their mail. "We're not the only post office that has had a crisis," he says. "We had one catch on fire and burn down. They're having more problems where they are because there is not another close location like there is here. At least we had a contingency plan and a building where we could offer service for both box and retail customers."
Postmaster William Hrynko
Despite rumors about closing the Lansing branch that were floated from the day it was damaged, Hyrnko says the Postal Service always intended to reopen it. He notes there have been rumors about closing the branch for years. "It wouldn't be up to me," he says. "The Northeast Area would make the decision. But even then, we've got a lease. They'd have to have a town meeting. We'd still have to get everybody's input. We're trying to do what's best for the company and the customers."
Meanwhile he hoped to know when an inspector will be dispatched some time today. If all goes well Lansing will have its post office back some time next week.
----
v4i48